Mantle of Power
by Artanyus
Summary: As Roland stands ready to go and face his final foe, a Fallen Angel in possession of the Spear of Longinus, he must first say farewell to his closest friend Anastasia and pass on the task as a Keeper of the Fire.


Roland stared across the open field and knew that he was expected. The Fallen Angel waited, hidden by powerful spells and powers beyond his comprehension. What frightened him the most was not the coming confrontation, but the outcome should he fail. He knew the Fallen Angel had in its possession the Spear of Longinus, and as long as he had that, he was all the more powerful. All he had to do was get it away from him, and that would give him the edge he needed to defeat it, or so he hoped.

Beside him, Ana watched following his gaze sensing the magic, but not seeing it like Roland saw it. She knew the whole thing had to be a trap and tried vainly to get Roland to see that fact, but he refused to acknowledge the possibility. Roland had been through so much, and yet he stood here resolute and determined to face the Angel in a futile battle.

"Roland, don't go out there," she pleaded once more, grabbing his arm.

He looked at her, noting the pain in her eyes. "I have to," he stated, "if I don't God only knows what might happen, and I know that it won't be good."

"Can't someone else do it?" she implored. "Why must it be you? What makes you so special?" She held on to him all the tighter, determined to turn him from his decision.

"I wish I could answer that for you," he said calmly. He took her hand from his arm, turning to face her and grabbing her arms in his hands. "I just have this feeling that if I don't do this, everything we know, everything we've worked for will be undone." He looked into her eyes, and saw her sadness. But behind that he also saw her love for him, and her determination.

"Then I'm going with you," she replied, her determination backing it her tone. "I'll help you win this fight."

Roland's heart sank, breaking as it did so. "I can't have you come with me," he stated. He swallowed a few times, choking down the lump that grew in his throat. "This is my fight, and if you come with me, he will kill you, simple as that. Your time is not up."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It means that your task is not yet finished," Roland announced. "You have to go on, fulfill your duties as a Keeper. There are still plenty of dangerous things out there, but while some may be more obvious than others, you're tasks will not be like mine."

"How so?"

"In many respects, I was a warrior, fighting evil head on using whatever I had at my disposal to do so," Roland explained. "It's what I was meant to do."

"Then give it up, don't fight anymore," Anastasia implored. "Stay with me."

"I can't. I have to do this, I'm sorry." The pain in his eyes reflected her own pain, and his broke his heart to see Anastasia hurt the way she did.

"But I love you," Ana stated softly, tears welling up in her eyes as she reached up to caress Roland's cheek. "I don't want to lose you,"

"I know you don't," Roland replied, reaching out to push a lock of her brown hair back. "And you will never lose me. I will always be watching out for you. "He paused and let the silence settle for a moment as he regarded her for the final time. "You have to let me go, let me do what I have to, and to fulfill my own destiny. Quin will help you, as will others. Your powers are growing, and it is now your time as a true Keeper of the Fire. It is to you that I pass on that mantle."

Anastasia said nothing, her mind telling her to let go of him while her heart begged for him to stay. But deep down she knew that he would not, and no amount of begging or pleading would make him change his mind. She blinked against the tears, and stared at him committing as much of his face to memory as she could before leaning in to kiss him.

Roland watched her as she stared at him, noting the look of concession more to herself than him, in regards to his decision. He waited, knowing that before he left she would want to kiss him, and when she finally did move forward, he met her halfway and embraced her. He closed his eyes as they kissed, feeling her warm lips on his.

After a minute he broke the kiss and brought her in close, embracing her one final time. "Goodbye, my love," he whispered into her ear. He let go of her and stepped back, and picked up the sword that lay beside him.

He carried it in his right hand as he walked away from, fighting his own desire to turn back and wave. He knew that if he did so, he would not turn around again, and so as he continued to walk farther away, he recalled the face of Markus and all the others who had died at the hands of evil, and steeled himself for the fight to come.


End file.
